|  Ronald Waterstradt, Pastor
Pastor Waterstradt was born February 3, 1941 in Evergreen Park, Illinois, the oldest of six brothers and sisters. He grew up in Kenosha, Wisconsin, where he went to St. Luke Lutheran School.
Ron attended high school at the preparatory department of Concordia College in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. His college training was at Concordia and at Northwestern College in Watertown, Wisconsin. He completed his studies for the Ministry at Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary in Mequon, Wisconsin, graduating in 1966.
Pastor and his wife, Jeanette, met at Zion Lutheran Church in South Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where he served as Vicar and she was a Sunday School teacher. They were married shortly after graduation from the Seminary. Jeanette works as an administrative assistant for the Association of California Water Agencies in Citrus Heights.
The Waterstradts have two children: David, who is a pastor in Palos Heights, Illinois, and Rachel, who is a professor of philosophy at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles.
Pastor Waterstradt's first call was to a dual parish in Clare and Gladwin, Michigan. He served there for twenty years. The parish began two daughter congregations during his pastorate there.
In 1986 the Waterstradts moved to California when Ron was called to Christ Our Redeemer Lutheran Church, a mission congregation on the north side of San Diego. He served there until late in 1989 when he accepted the call to St. Mark's. He was installed on the first Sunday of 1990.
 Bill Tackmier, Pastor
Pastor Tackmier was born April 20, 1963. The oldest of four
children, he grew up on his parents' dairy farm near Peshtigo, Wisconsin.
He grew up in a nurturing, Christian home and attended Lutheran
schools that fostered a love for his Savior and that encouraged
serving that Savior.
He graduated from our synod's pastor training college, Northwestern
College, in Watertown, Wisconsin in 1985 and received his Master
of Divinity degree from Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary in Mequon, Wisconsin,
in 1990. He also spent a year studying at the University of Tuebingen
in Germany.
Before his ordination, he served as a vicar (student pastoral
assistant) at Grace Lutheran Church in Falls Church, Virginia. During
that year he met his future wife, Dorcas. They were married in 1990.
The Lord has blessed them with two children: Sam and Maddie.
Pastor Tackmier served Lutheran congregations in Owosso,
Michigan, and St. Louis, Michigan, before coming to St. Mark's.
He was called to minister here in 1995 and was asked to concentrate
his ministry on evangelism and worship. Pastor Tackmier directs
the church choir and occasionally serves as organist for the worship
services in addition to his regular pastoral duties.
 Michael Carr, Pastor
Pastor Carr was born May 6, 1975 in Monroe, Wisconsin, the fourth
of five children and the third of three sons born to Gary and Bette
Carr. He was adopted into God’s family by the waters of Holy
Baptism on June 8, 1975. He grew up in Freeport, Illinois.
Pastor Carr attended public schools in Freeport, IL, graduating
from Freeport High School in 1993. He then began studies in music
education at Illinois Wesleyan University in Bloomington, Illinois.
He transferred to Northwestern College in Watertown, WI the next
year to begin his studies for the pastoral ministry. He graduated
from Martin Luther College in New Ulm, MN in 1998. Pastor Carr received
his Master of Divinity degree from Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary in
Mequon, WI in 2003. During his Seminary years, he spent five months
studying at the Seminary of the ELFK in Leipzig, Germany and four
months substitute teaching in the Freeport School District.
Pastor’s wife, Christina, is the youngest of seven children
born to Pastor Norman and Geraldine Paul. Pastor Carr and his wife
met while he was attending the Seminary and she was a student at
Wisconsin Lutheran College in Milwaukee, WI. Christina graduated
with a Bachelor of Business Administration from WLC in 2002. They
were married in Milwaukee on July 11, 2003.
Before being called to serve at St. Mark’s, Pastor Carr served
as a tutor (teacher and dorm supervisor) at Michigan Lutheran Seminary
in Saginaw, MI for the 2003-2004 school year.
Pastor Carr’s primary area of concentration at St. Mark’s
will be working with the teens and young adults of the congregation.
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